What's eating my spider brake fern?

Spider Brake Fern (Pteris multifida) kept indoors is most often attacked by spider mites in low-humidity rooms, which quickly cause browning of the fine, spidery fronds. Scale and mealybugs can establish on the slender stems. Fungus gnats breed when soil is consistently wet. Check frond undersides often — the finely divided fronds obscure mites and scale until infestations are advanced.

Very fine webbing on frond undersides; pale stippling and yellowing; fronds brown and shed quickly in dry air Raise humidity to 50%+; spray fronds with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil every 5–7 days; repeat 3–4 times

Tiny brown or tan bumps fixed on slender stems and midribs; sticky honeydew; yellowing fronds Dab with isopropyl alcohol on a swab; apply neem oil spray; repeat weekly for 4–6 weeks to eliminate crawlers

White waxy deposits at stem nodes and frond bases; reduced vigour; honeydew attracting fungal growth Remove manually with alcohol swab; spray insecticidal soap solution; isolate and re-treat every 5–7 days

Larvae feed on fine roots in wet soil; adult flies around the pot; drooping fronds despite moist conditions Let topsoil dry slightly between waterings; use yellow sticky traps; drench with Bti solution for larval control